Tomato Dal

I am a sucker for quick yet nutritious recipes that need just a handful of ingredients and minimum prep. My Tomato Dal is a great example of the kinds of foods I tend to cook pretty often in my hurried kitchen.

Tomato Dal is one of those ubiquitous Indian dishes and there are, perhaps, as many recipes for it out there as there are cooks. My own version is something that’s evolved over years of modifying the basic recipe to suit the tastes of my family.

I used tuvar dal in my recipe, although masoor or moong would substitute quite well, I think, in a pinch. I also add sambar powder to the dal for a bit of a kick.

I like using fresh tomatoes here, although you could substitute with canned. Keep in mind that canned tomatoes would contribute a higher degree of acidity to the dal.

Served with brown or plain rice, and a subzi, this dal is a total winner for any weekday evening.

Hi VaishaliThanks for your delicious recipes. In Temptress Tomato Dal you mention in the ingredients Cummin seeds and in the method you mention Mustard seeds. Which is the right ingredient? Can one use both?Thanks and regardsNevilleToronto

Neville, thanks for visiting my blog and for pointing out the error. I will correct it. To answer your question, I did mean cumin seeds, but mustard seeds would make a great substitute if you happen to have those on hand instead. I also sometimes use both in a single recipe. Hope that helps

Happy cook, Arundati, Thanks. Yes, this certainly is comfort food and food for all seasons!